DOS Adoption Alert: Kyrgyzstan

June 2, 2011 Alert: Kyrgyzstan Adoption In October 2008, the previous government of Kyrgyzstan halted all intercountry adoptions in response to allegations of corruption and illegal processing. The new government has not yet implemented a new processing system, and at this time it is not possible for new intercountry adoption cases to move forward. The Department of State continues to …

DOS Adoption Notice: Guatemala Updates

June 2, 2011 Notice: Guatemala June 2011 Listserv Update Office of Children’s Issues Meeting with the Consejo Nacional de Adopciones in Washington, DC on April 14, 2011 On April 14, 2011, the Office of Children’s Issues (CI) met with: Elizabeth de Larios, President of the Consejo Nacional de Adopciones (CNA); Marilys Barrientos de Estrada, and Fernando de la Cerda of …

DOS Adoption Notice: Ethiopia

Notice: Update on adoption case processing by MOWCYA in Ethiopia June 2, 2011 The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia has received information from the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs indicating that processing of cases that received a court summons prior to March 8, 2011 is still ongoing. This exceeds their estimated 15-20 days to expeditiously process this caseload, as …

UPDATE: Media Reports on China Scandal

On May 11, PEAR published a list of reports on the emerging scandal involving the abduction of children for intercountry adoption. Continuing reports on the scandal have been published in May 2011 some of which are listed below. These reports include a piece in the Canadian Inside Politics Blog entitled Canadian Parents wary as China Confronts Baby Trafficking. PEAR member …

DOS Adoption Notice: Ukraine

May 20, 2011 Notice: Ukrainian Family Code Amendments and adoption processing in Ukraine On May 19, the Ukrainian government passed an amendment to its Family Code to require orphans to be registered on the central adoption registry for one year and to be at least 5 years old before they are eligible for intercountry adoption. The amendment exempts children with …

An Open Letter from Norma Cruz to Senator Mary Landrieu

The following letter was provided to PEAR for publication at large. It follows up CICIG’s request for clarification from Senator Landrieu on her comments questioning the legitimacy of the CICIG report Players Involved in the Illegal Adoption Process in Guatemala since the Entry into Force of the Adoption Law referenced in our blog on May 4, 2011 – http://pear-now.blogspot.com/2011/05/cicigs-report-on-players-involved-in.html. Senator …

DOS Adoption Notice: Mexico

May 19, 2011 Notice: Adoption Service Providers Authorized in Mexico The Mexican Central Authority (MCA) has provided the U.S. Central Authority (USCA) with information clarifying its process to authorize U.S.-based Hague accredited adoption service providers (ASPs) to provide adoption services in Mexico. All prospective adoptive parents seeking to complete an intercountry adoption in Mexico must work with an ASP that …

DOS Adoption Notice: Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo May 13, 2011Notice: Change to travel requirement for prospective adoptive parents The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa has been verbally informed by the Direction Generale de Migration in Kinshasa (Immigration Office) that a change in regulation will now require prospective adoptive parents to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to pick up their child in order …

COMMENTARY: Response to China’s Latest Adoption Scandal

— by Brian H. Stuy The news this week that Chinese Family Planning officials had raided a small farming community in rural Hunan Province and confiscated nearly twenty young children has citizens in China understandably outraged. Family Planning officials are already despised by most Chinese, due to their ability to blatantly and capriciously impose their will on local families. As …

U.S. Still Suspects Fraud In Nepalese Orphanages (NPR)

U.S. Still Suspects Fraud In Nepalese Orphanages by Monica Brady-Myerov May 10, 2011 Listen to the Story: http://www.npr.org/2011/05/10/136179395/u-s-still-suspects-fraud-in-nepalese-orphanages All Things Considered — National Public Radio Photo — Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images The Helpless Children Protection Home is an orphanage in Katmandu. Last August, the U.S. government suspended adoptions from Nepal because it was concerned about fraud in Nepal’s adoption system — …